Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Christian’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sunny Christian’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with oblanceolate-shaped ray florets that are blush white in color with light brown and brown-striped lower surfaces; and have good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunny Christian’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunny Christian’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new Osteospermum cultivars with compactand uniformly mounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractiveinflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventorin May, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number 10.501.02, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny Serena,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,693, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Odense, Denmark inJune, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Odense, Denmark since January, 2007, has shownthat the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunny Christian has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunny Christian’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunny Christian’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with oblanceolate-shaped ray        florets that are blush white in color with light brown and        brown-striped lower surfaces.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Upper surfaces of ray florets of plants of the new        Osteospermum are blush white in color whereas upper surfaces of        ray florets of plants of the female parent selection are white        in color.    -   2. Lower surfaces of ray florets of plants of the new        Osteospermum are light brown and brown-striped whereas lower        surfaces of ray florets of plants of the female parent selection        are bright yellow in color.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parent,the cultivar Sunny Serena, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Upper surfaces of ray florets of plants of the new        Osteospermum are blush white in color whereas upper surfaces of        ray florets of plants of the cultivar Sunny Serena are salmon in        color.    -   2. Lower surfaces of ray florets of plants of the new        Osteospermum are light brown and brown-striped whereas lower        surfaces of ray florets of plants of the cultivar Sunny Serena        are brownish salmon in color.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum cultivar Sunny Henry, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,251. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Odense, Denmark, plantsof the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Sunny Henryprimarily in the lower surface color of the ray florets as lowersurfaces of ray florets of plants of the cultivar Sunny Henry werebright yellow in color. In addition, plants of the new Osteospermum hadlarger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Sunny Henry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum. This photographs shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Osteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunny Christian’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Sunny Christian’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Odense, Denmark during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouseand under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 20° C., nighttemperatures averaged 14° C. and light levels ranged from 200 to 800watts per square meter. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time andwere about 15 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny    Christian.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 10.501.02,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar            Sunny Serena, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,693.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 18° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at 18° C.            to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About three weeks            at 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About four weeks            at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant habit.            Inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.            Low to moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16.3 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 23.2 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,            about 14 lateral branches develop per plant. Length: About            7.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About            1.3 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            144A occasionally flushed with 174A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 5.1 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:            Dentate; coarse, irregular. Texture, upper and lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; moderately dense            pubescence along the leaf margins. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Between            137A and 141A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Between            144A and 147A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Slightly darker than between 137A and 147A; venation, 144B.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C; venation, 143C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with            oblanceolate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned            above and beyond the foliage; inflorescences terminal and            axillary. Disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a            capitulum. Inflorescences face mostly upright to outward.            Freely flowering habit; about 42 inflorescences develop per            plant. Inflorescences not persistent. Inflorescences faintly            fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—In northern Europe, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to late summer.            Early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about eight            weeks after pinching. Inflorescences last about two weeks on            the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About            9 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Color: 137B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.8 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 5 mm. Receptacle            diameter: About 9 mm. Receptacle height: About 4 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; at the base, pubescent. Number of            ray florets per inflorescence: About 21 in about two whorls.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to between 155D            and N155B; towards the apex, lightly blushed with 71A. When            opening, lower surface: 182D and 184B stripes. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to between 155D and N155B; towards the            apex, lightly blushed with 71A. Fully opened, lower surface:            164B to 164C and 176B stripes.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 9 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter,            base: About 0.9 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 110. Color: Immature: Close to 160A to            160B; towards the apex, 13C. Mature: Between 150D and 160D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20 in a single            whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate, elongated. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Color, upper surface: 143A. Color, lower surface:            143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 8.2 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal            peduncles: Mostly upright. Aspect, axillary peduncles: About            30° from vertical. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 200A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: 21A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma            color: 163A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 25B to            25C. Ovary color: 145D.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind    and temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Christian’ asillustrated and described.